oldbury863

After a nut and bolt rebuild of my 13/60, I finally got it back on the road only to discover that it suffered from dreadful vibration at anything over 30mph. I ran the car up with axle stands under the vertical links to eliminate anything tyre related. The vibration remained so I removed the (strap drive) propshaft and had it rebuilt by Chards of Bristol. They completely dismantled it and machined a new bush for the worn centre spigot. They then fitted new u/js and balanced it. Things are considerably better now but still not as I would expect at anything over 45-50mph but I dont know if the vibration that remains is (still) propshaft related or is it from the halfshafts and their u/j's? I dont want to have to remove the propshaft again and go back to Chards if the problem isn't with the propshaft! Is it possible to unbolt the halfshaft flanges from the diff and run the car up (either with the suspension supported or with it unsupported) without removing the rear spring first?

Early on in my (1970) 13/60 rebuild I decided to discard the old inertia seat belts (error). I have just purchased a pair of new Securon 300/30 static belts to replace them. Whilst the floor mountings both appear the correct size (11/16"AF), the B pillar mounting hole is too small!  I have one bolt that fits and its an M10. Is this curious combination normal? The M10 is actually slightly smaller than the 11/16 so it cant have been re-tapped. Can anyone shed any light please?

Well its been months now and I still haven't fitted the door glass seals!  From my previous post, I had one very soft and bendy seal that split on me and the next type I bought was far too thick for any of the clips. I'm getting desparate now so has anyone tried using the spitfire  /gt6 seals?  I dont know if they are even long enough but they look much more like the originals than the stuff thats simply cut from a roll. I notice 'Bains' sell it and state that theirs has a metal reiforcement. If it at least stays straight whilst fitting the clips that surely has to be a superior product, so why arent the herald ones the same? If anyone can please tell me how long the spit ones are & they are long enough, Ill give it a go. Fingers crossed.

So I decided I would have another go with the outer seals.......but then, during my attempts, the 'flexible' cut length of seal I had, decided to crack right in the middle! Very strange. And annoying. I cant remember where I purchased them from but I ordered some new ones from 'MEV' instead. These are different, straight and rigid, supplied in a tube & overall larger than my previous ones. More workmanlike I thought...... I then spotted that the clips they supplied are only as thick as the seal itself! Never mind, I'll use the old clips I thought. But the new seal is so tight where the quarterlight is, it wont go in. So I had to take the powerfile to it.......What a lot of faffing around! Having managed to chip some of the nice new paint trying to get the quarterlight into 'position' (why is it such  a tight fit?), the screw at the front thats normally under a grommet decided to cross thread when attempted to fit it. The final straw was when then the door swung shut on my finger whilst attempting to fit the screw. At that point I decided to walk away, finger throbbing. I hate those doors.  

Disappointingly, Canley have just got back to me stating that no original spec ones are available as far as they are know but are unaware of any issues with the repro strip they sell. Of course I'm now wondering if theirs is any better than what I already have or it's just that no one has complained to them! The only thing I do know for sure is that I'm not alone in finding this job difficult.....

Thanks for the reply, I've now realised that the stainless trim goes on the inside of the door under the quarterlight! However, I've now spotted that the original weatherstrip is reduced in thickness where each clip fits so is only 1.1 mm thick at each point.....but the 'replacement' one is 3.8mm thick its entire length so how on earth can I get the clips to fit?!  The air was blue when attempting this as they just pinged off even trying to use the 'proper' clip tool.🤬 Do I have to purchase extra thick clips or is the original spec weatherstrip available? (& if so where from?)

As I said in my previous post, it has been so long since the car was stripped that I am now puzzling over how some things go back together! Regarding the door glass outer seal: The original one looks like it ended at the quarterlight but a previous post stated that it runs the entire length so which is right?  There is a 10" stainless trim that fits under where the quarterlight is but how is the door sealed at this point as there is no room for both trim & seal?  Unfortunately not only is the replacement seal not cut to length, but it is taller & has no metal reinforcement making direct comparison of little use. Regarding the door curtain(s): I stupidly threw away the originals so now I have no idea what I should have? One post suggested the curtain just hangs from the glass but other posts talk of the curtain being attached to the door to form a U shape. There is also mention in the manual of a curtain being attatched to the inner seal so are there 2 curtains or one? I am also open to suggestions on what/where to buy suitable door curtain material. Hope someone can clarify this please.      

Not near you unfortunately, Im in Gloucestershire, but happy to pay if you can help!

I'll try spitfire graveyard, thanks for the advice. I def have one missing. I reckon it must have been left in the bottom of the degreaser tank at work. Unfortunately, Ive since retired from work & the old workshop has been stripped out .......

At some point during the last 3 years of rebuilding my 13/60, I have managed to lose 1 (of the 3) long springs from the rocker shaft that keep the rocker arms pressed against the pedestals. Having become quite complacent about general parts availability for these cars, I was shocked to find that these springs are "no longer available" Please can someone either dig out an old one for me from a scrap engine or suggest any available alternatives that are used on other engines that might actually fit? This one spring is now preventing any more progress on the engine! Hoping someone out there can help....... regards, Richard

Are you refitting the old diaphragm or is it a new one? I was unable to get a new diaphragm to perform correctly on my carb, the piston refused to bottom out at all no matter what I did. Eventually a friend of mine gave me a "new old stock" one and the difference was startling. It was like comparing a marigold glove to a wellington boot! Works a treat now. There's a lot of truly rubbish parts out there.

Thanks for the reply, but I dont have a strainer on the sump or the pump (scared)

Thanks for the reply, but I dont have a strainer on the sump or the pump (scared)

Hi, I'm currently stripping the engine on my 1970 13/60. Apart from the appalling quantity of gunge I found in the sump from lack of maintenance, I noticed that the oil pump has no strainer on it(scared) (no does it look like it ever has had). I am fairly certain that the engine has not been rebuilt previously. Is this normal?

Hi, I'm currently stripping the engine on my 1970 13/60. Apart from the appalling quantity of gunge I found in the sump from lack of maintenance, I noticed that the oil pump has no strainer on it(scared) (no does it look like it ever has had). I am fairly certain that the engine has not been rebuilt previously. Is this normal?

Hi, just checked mine:- length = 340mm width = 400mm with front mounting plate, 265mm without. height = 200mm weight = 23.6kg with oil. Hope this helps